Tugs belong to Dutch salvage and towage company Kotug have helped to rescue a containership hit by fire while sailing off the coast of East Africa.
The 2,503-teu EM-OINOUSSES (built 2000) was sailing from Maputo to Mombasa, when a devastating fire broke out in the engine room.
Although the vessel’s crew adequately extinguished the fire, at about 50 miles off the coast of Mozambique, the ship was reported to be “uncontrollable”.
The two Kotug tugs are said to have picked up the mayday call from the Marshall Islands-flagged ship on the night of 20 January 2019.
In what were described as “high swells”, the salvage was carried out by the tugs RT Spirit and RT Magic and the ship towed to the Port of Nacala.
“We are glad that we were able to bring the EM-OINOUSSES and its crew to a safe haven and prevented a possible disaster for the vessel, its crew, and the environment,” said Kotug chief executive Ard-Jan Kooren.
